The free weights gathering dust in the basement corner aren't likely to see the light of day anytime soon.

While bodybuilders may still find use in their fitness routine for the clunky pieces of iron, a new trend in training is quickly gaining steam among today's elite athletes, and its effects are being felt all the way down from professional ball players to weekend warriors to the nonathletic.

Resistance stretching, a form of conditioning, contracts a muscle and elongates it -- the opposite of an exercise such as a bicep curl, which causes muscles to shorten.

"The person who's being stretched is going to resist the motion I'm applying to them," says Kathy Montgomery, personal trainer and owner of Hershey, Pa.-based training company Wheel of Life. "They're on their back, with a leg raised up. I press on the leg, they press back. It's all hands-on. There are no bands or equipment."

It is the lengthening of the muscle that is the crux of resistance stretching, since it increases flexibility within the joints and strengthens muscles when they're at their weakest (elongated).

• Do a Web search on "resistance stretching" for more examples and information.

The method proved valuable to Dara Torres, U.S. Olympian and accidental poster-child for the workout. At age 41, the swimmer won three silver medals in the Beijing Games, and credits resistance stretching as a major player in the training routine that helped send her to a fifth Olympics.

Montgomery said resistance no doubt contributed to Torres' success, despite her being considerably older than her swimming peers.

A client pushes against trainer Kathy Montgomery's hand pressure as she stretches her hamstring.

"Her muscles aren't sore after a race. She was doing (the resistance stretching) at least five times a day; it's a major part of her workout and recovery. And the recovery is huge; because of it, she can train shorter and smarter," Montgomery said.

While high-profile athletes turn to personal trainers, some of the stretches can be done solo, and Montgomery emphasizes its benefits for non-Olympians too.

"For all people, stretching is a component that doctors and orthopedics sometimes don't look into enough," she said. "But as long as you can keep muscles supple, you can prevent injuries. It's good for people with arthritis or joint issues. It's not abusive to the body."

A stretch resistance exercise for the quadriceps.

All self-stretches, however, should be done with care. "Some are difficult to get into if you're not already loose," admits Montgomery. "You have to slowly encourage your body to get into the positions."

But it's a self pep-talk worth giving to the joints and muscles.

Says Montgomery, "It's incredible how light and limber you feel after you've been stretched."